Store service rack



July 2.2, l947 s. N. GQLDMAN 2,424,355

STORE SERVICE RACK l Filed sept. 22, 1944 4//4/ Z5 f5 Z7 w f o 'J3 o Muff/vra@ #Hrw MLA. Sylyan/ G'o/Jmalz, |l| fl "$1, v

Patented July 22, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENTGFFICE STORE SERVICE RACK Sylvan N. Goldman, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application September 22, 1944, Serial No. 555,283

5 claims. 1

This invention relates to trucks or racks and more particularly to trucks of such construction as to enable efiicient handling of stock in stores, warehouses and the like, and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a truck in which a portable supporting shelf is provided, adapted to be laid into position across the upper portions of the frame of the truck, above the goods transported by the truck, thereby providing a supporting surface upon which goods may be placed in convenient position for stocking the shelves in a store.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a truck in which a vertical compartment is provided at the ends thereof for reception of the supporting shelf at a time of loading the truck. the shelf being readily movable to a position across the upper frame work of the truck to assume an operative rigid position for support of packaged goods.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a truck of the character indicated which may be formed from wood, yet maintain a sturdy construction and susceptible to support of heavy loads and withstand rough usage.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the truck or rack.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, illustrating the position of the shelf at the time of loading.

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating the operative position of the shelf.

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

There is illustrated a truck I consisting of a load-supporting platform Il, and respective upright end members I2. The platform II consists of respective side stringers I3 of approximately five inches in width and 34 inches long. 'Ihe side stringers I3 are arranged in parallel relation and securely connected by boards I4 extended transversely thereacross. The boards I4 are 15% inches long and stop iiush with the longitudinal edges of the side stringers I3, and preferably the boards are secured by screws I5, the heads of which are countersunk to provide a smooth upper surface, free of interference with packages placed upon the platform.

At respective ends of the platform thus constructed, the upright end members are secured, and as shown, each upright consists of a pair of risers I6, approximately 4 inches in width and 39 inches in length. The risers I6 are provided with a plurality of openings at one end and respective ends of the side stringers are provided with a like number of openings so that when a riser is set flush against a stringer the openings will be aligned for reception of a bolt Il, the latter being secured upon the inner side of the stringers by nuts I8. The risers I6 will thus be securely connected to the platform and in order to provide lateral bracing of the risers, the risers at respective ends are connected by horizontal panels or boards i9 intermediate the height of the risers, and each pair of risers are further connected at their upper ends by a narrow strip 20 which it will be noted extends across the longitudinal edges of the risers. The strips ZB function as handles for effecting movement and steering of the truck, as well as aording rigidity to the upper ends of the risers. The upper inner end edges of the risers are rounded, as at 2 I, eliminating sharp corners which might injure a clerk when loading or unloading a truck.

A horizontal board 22 is secured upon the inner longitudinal edges of each pair of risers, spaced a suitable distance above the panels I9 as Well as the handle strips 20, to permit ready placement or removal of a portable shelf 23 therebetween. As may be seen in Figure 4, the shelf 23 is of a length so as to extend across the horizontal boards 22 of each upright end member, and one end of the shelf is provided with an overhanging lintel 24 aording a hand grip for manipulating the shelf as desired. The shelf is of a width slightly less than the inside Width between respective risers, thus preventing accidental displacement of the shelf from a position upon the boards 22.

In order to provide mobility and Steerage of the truck, a pair of side wheels 25 are journalled upon a shaft 26 centrally of the platform, the shaft extending through the side stringers I3, Iwhile swivelled casters 2l are provided adjacent each end of the truck. The casters 2l are located in the medial longitudinal axis of the platform as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5. The side wheels and casters are provided with any suitable anti-friction bearing assembly to afford easy rolling action.

In use, the truck will be loaded with goods resting upon the platform II, as illustrated in Figure 3, and the truck is now ready to be moved to a point where the goods are to be stored, as for instance, upon the shelves of a store. The truck may be either pushed or drawn, at either end, by means of the hand bars 20, and may be steered by reason of the swivelled caster wheels 21.. When the truck has reached a desired destination, the shelf 23 is raised upwardly from its compartment and extended lengthwise of the truck, so as to rest between the transverse boards 22, as shown in Figure 4. The desired cases may be removed from the platform `and placed upon the shelf where the goods within the cases may be readily removed by a clerk for placing upon the shelves of a store.

It will be apparent, of course, if a larger number of packages are to be moved than would be accommodated upon the platform, the shelf may be placed in its operative position upon the boards 22 and additional packages placed thereon.

The side stringers, platform uprights, etc., are of hard wood, providing for heavy duty, and the dimensions given are approximately those employed constructing trucks for store service, but may be varied to meet other needs and requirements; and while I have shown and specifically described the construction of the truck, this is by way of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modifications in construction as fairlyfall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A store service rack comprising a platform, an upright riser fixed at each side adjacent the ends of the platform, the risers at each end having transverse connecting panels spaced from a vertical edge of saidv risers, a shelf support extended between respective risers at each end, and positioned below the upper end of said risers, said panels and shelf support defining an upwardly opening space, a portable shelf disposed within the space at one end, and removable therefrom to a position to extend across respective shelf-supports.

2. A store service rack comprising a platform, a vertically disposed compartment at each end of the platform, said compartments each comprising vertical risers connected by boards, and being open at their upper end, and having'a shelf support means adjacent their upper end, and a shelf disposed in one of said compartments manually movable to extend across said shelf support means.

3. A store service rack comprising a platform, said platform including side stringers, an upright riser connected to each side Stringer at each end thereof, the risers at each end having transverse connecting panels located intermediate the height of the risers and flush with the outer vertical edges of the risers, a hand rail connecting respective risers and positioned adjacent the upper ends thereof, a shelf rest connecting each pair of risers'at the longitudinal edge opposite that upon which l said connecting panels are secured, delining an upwardly opening compartment, a portablershelf. disposed within one compartment, removable to extend and rest upon said shelf rests.

4. The structure of claim 3, in which the shelf is provided with an offset member forming a gripping means to facilitate removal of the shelf from a compartment.

, 5. The structure of claim 3, in which the shelf is of a width slightly less than the distance between'respective pairs of risers.

SYLVAN N. GOLDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 566,305 Geuder Aug. 25, 1896 2,152,217 Shaw Mar..28, 1939 623,157 Hunter Apr. 18, 1899 1,349,500 Dietz Aug. 10, 1920 D. 28,263 Shaff Feb. 8, 1898 1,348,262 Brockway Aug. 3, 1920 1,655,593 Bulman Jan. 10, 1928 1,717,217 Izan June 11, 1929 507,200 Ayres Oct. 24, 1893 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 492,216 France Mar. 10, 1919 

